PM Modi Promises Statehood for J&K, Inaugurates Development Projects

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Srinagar marked a significant milestone in Jammu and Kashmir's journey towards statehood. Amid tight security, Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for multiple development projects worth over ₹1,500 crore.

In a symbolic gesture, Modi pledged to "teach a lesson to the enemies of J&K," referring to recent terror attacks. He also launched the Competitiveness Improvement in Agriculture and Allied Sectors Project worth ₹1,800 crore and handed over appointment letters to 200 fresh government recruits.

Meanwhile, in Delhi, a Delhi court granted bail to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped Delhi Excise policy. The bail order was dictated by the judge in an open court on June 20 evening.

In the realm of education, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced the formation of a reform committee to improve the working of the National Testing Agency (NTA). The committee will consist of technocrats, bureaucrats, and scientists and will suggest improvements to the NTA's operations.

In a setback for press freedom, a second French journalist, working in India since 2011, was forced to leave the country after the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) denied the renewal of his work permit without providing any reason.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has received 11 requests for memory verification of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs) from the recently concluded Lok Sabha and Assembly polls. This is the first time such requests have been received since the Supreme Court order of April 24 allowing verification on the request of the runners-up in any election.

In a bid to safeguard students' interests, the UGC-NET exam was canceled after Education Ministry officials received inputs that raised concerns about the integrity of the exam. The details of these inputs have not been disclosed as the matter has been referred to the CBI and is currently under investigation.

India has declined China's request to resume direct passenger flights after a four-year halt, citing ongoing border tensions. The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) apologized to a couple who found a cockroach in their meal while traveling on the Vande Bharat Express from Bhopal to Agra.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar visited Colombo and discussed progress on key energy sector initiatives that India and Sri Lanka have agreed to jointly undertake. He also commissioned a Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) and handed over new homes built with Indian assistance.

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay has imposed a fine of up to ₹1.2 lakh on eight students who performed a play that allegedly mocked Lord Ram and portrayed the 'Ramayana' in a bad light.

The Madras High Court agreed to hear a public interest litigation petition seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy that has claimed over 30 lives.

AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh sought the INDIA bloc's support in the party's fight to get Delhi's share of water from Haryana.

Heatwave conditions have abated over large parts of North India, but this is expected to be short-lived as dry conditions are expected to resurface over the weekend or early next week.

A diplomat in Saudi Arabia confirmed that 68 Indian nationals died during the haj pilgrimage this year, bringing the overall tally to more than 600.

In the world of cricket, India had no trouble adapting to conditions in the West Indies. The team crushed Afghanistan by 47 runs in its first Super 8 game on Thursday. Led by Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya, India passed the pitch test with flying colors to make a commanding 181 for eight. With ball in hand, Jasprit Bumrah (3/7) and the three spinners put the stranglehold on the Afghans.

Tags: #JammuAndKashmir, #Statehood, #DevelopmentProjects, #ArvindKejriwal, #Bail